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(No Model.)

S. E. L. WILSON.

HAT AND BONNET STAND. No. 421,879. Patented Feb..18, 1890.

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ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SARAH E. L. WVILSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE AD- JUSTABLE HAT AND BONNET HOLDER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HAT AND BONNET STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,879, dated February 18, 1890.

Application filed October 7, 1889- Serial No. 326,240. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SARAH E. L. WILsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat and Bonnet Stands, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a stand or holder for displaying hats and bonnets, and is illus- 1o trated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a side view of the stand, showing one form of construction. Fig. 2 is a side View showing differences in the construction.

I 5 Figs. 3 and 4 show different forms of supports for the expanding holding-prongs.

The object is to provide two or more expanding prongs, which shall coact to hold, a hat by the contact of the several prong ends with the inside of the hat-crown.

- The letter a designates the expanding prongs of which in the present instance there are three in number, though any number more than two may be employed. The free ends a. of these prongs, after being compressed to receive a hat, are to come in contact with the interior walls of the hatcrown, and the expansion of said prongs will hold the hat. The prongs maybe made of any desired material or in any shape, but must have means to cause them to expand or spread away from each other. In the present instance the several prongs a are all united in a suitable manner to a common shank b and are springy or resilient, and the free end a branching out or spreading away. This is the leading feature of the invention and constitutes the hat-holder. This holder may have its shank b permanently connected with a support 0, as in Fig. 1, or detachably connected with a support, as in Fig. 2. The form of the support may vary. In Figs. 1 and 2 it consists of an upwardly-projecting stem 0, whose lower end is fixed to a baseblock D. In Fig. 2 the top of said upwardlyprojecting stem 0 has a socket 6, into which the shank b of the prong-holder is inserted.-

It will be seen that by this socket construction a prong-holder, with a hat on it, may be detached from its support and a persons hand grasp the shank 1), (shown in Fig. 2,) and thus a person may, closely examine the hat or bonnet without catching hold of the latter at all.

In Figs. 3 and 4 other forms of support are shown; but each has the socket e. The form of support shown in Fig. 3' is a bracket-arm F for attachment to any side support. That in Fig. at is a mere screw G for attachment I anywhere to a shelf or case.

For some delicate kinds of hats or bonnets I provide the free ends a of the prong with a pad or cushion h of any suitable soft material, such as sponge or wool. Thus the padded ends will not distort the hat. In some cases, also. a ring 2' may be used to loosely surround the shank b of the holder when it is down for the purpose of slipping the ring upward and tightening on the prongs,

and thereby holding them from expanding 7o to their normal extent. The prongs may have slight bends or corrugations k to prevent the ring from slipping.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, in a hat and bonnet stand, of the expanding prongs a, each 0011- sisting of a wire bent at their upper ends, thus forming aspring-cushion, as shown at a, and secured to a base 19, adapted to be removably attached to a socket e on a suitable support, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the prongs a, bent at o, and secured at their bases, the said prongs being formed with a series of bends k, of the adjusting ring c', which is secured against slipping by said bends 7c, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a hat and bonnet. holder, of the bent prongs a, united at their lower ends and provided with a series of bends k, and a ring "6, of the pads h, of sponge or similar material, secured at the bends a, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, SARAH E. L. YVILSON.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR O. BABENDREIER, J. EDWARD MORRIS. 

